In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, what is she attempting to accomplish in her story?

Question

Is she trying to attempt this through irony throughout the story by telling the readers that even though many marriages seem happy they can be brought out with sadness she is using a dramatic irony? Is this correct? I’m very confused?

Answer 1

Hi Emma,

Dramatic irony is used in situations where we, the readers, know information that the characters do not. Thus, when a character interprets emotions and actions differently than what we know from the narrative, it is dramatic irony.

In the case of The Story of an Hour, I would say that your statement is correct! I hesitate on the phrasing of it, however. It would be more correct to say that characters can perceive marriages to be happy, and act in accordance of their perceptions, but we know that the marriages are not happy. For example, we know that Louise is happy with her husbands death, but the characters around her assume she is grieving.

Hopefully this helps! I know irony is super difficult to wrangle with :)